U.S. patent number 5,074,093 [Application Number 07/532,794] was granted by the patent office on 1991-12-24 for overlapping architectural tiles.
Invention is credited to David F. Meadows.
United States Patent |
5,074,093 |
Meadows |
December 24, 1991 |
Overlapping architectural tiles
Abstract
An architectural tile is made of a panel capable of overlapping
a laterally adjacent panel as well as a longitudinally adjacent
panel. The panels include a first part for being secured to a wall
or roof and which includes a locking ridge for engaging a second
part of an overlapping panel. The locking ridge terminates below
the upper edge of the panel to allow a longitudinal overlap of the
panels.
Inventors: |
Meadows; David F. (Milton,
WV) |
Family
ID: |
26846005 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/532,794 |
Filed: |
June 4, 1990 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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148608 |
Jan 26, 1988 |
4930282 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/537; 52/520;
52/533; 52/531 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D
3/32 (20130101); E04D 1/2918 (20190801); E04D
3/357 (20130101); E04D 2003/3617 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04D
3/32 (20060101); E04D 3/24 (20060101); E04D
3/35 (20060101); E04D 1/20 (20060101); E04D
1/12 (20060101); E04D 3/36 (20060101); E04D
3/361 (20060101); E04D 001/34 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/570,574,579,584,588,593,793,511,550,551,522,553,521,547,537,531 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Chilcot, Jr.; Richard E.
Assistant Examiner: Wood; Wynn
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen
& Freeman
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No.
07/148,608, filed 1/26/88, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,282, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
I claim:
1. An architectural tile comprising a panel having a top surface
and a bottom surface, first attachment means extending from said
top surface for engaging and attaching said panel to a first
laterally adjacent panel wherein said first attachment means is
spaced from an end of said panel to permit a first longitudinally
adjacent panel to longitudinally overlap said panel.
2. An architectural tile according to claim 1 wherein said panel
further comprises second attachment means for attaching said panel
to a second laterally adjacent panel.
3. An architectural tile according to claim 2 wherein said second
attachment means is spaced from an end of said panel to facilitate
overlapping a second longitudinally adjacent panel.
4. An architectural tile according to claim 1 wherein said panel
comprises a generally flat portion for being secured to a base.
5. An architectural tile according to claim 4 wherein said
generally flat portion extends longitudinally along one side of
said panel.
6. An architectural tile according to claim 5 wherein said panel
further comprises a curved portion laterally adjacent said
generally flat portion.
7. An architectural tile according to claim 6 wherein said panel
further comprises second attachment means for attaching said panel
to a second laterally adjacent panel, said curved portion including
said second attachment means.
8. An architectural tile according to claim 1 wherein said panel
comprises a first portion having a contour and further comprising
said first longitudinally adjacent panel including a first portion
having a contour, said contour of said first portion of said panel
and said contour of said first portion of said first longitudinally
adjacent panel being such that said first portion of said panel is
in contact with said first portion of said longitudinally adjacent
panel in an area of longitudinal overlap.
9. An architectural tile comprising a panel having a top surface, a
bottom surface, and first and second laterally adjacent portions,
first attachment means extending from said top surface of said
first portion for engaging and attaching said panel to a second
laterally adjacent portion of a first laterally adjacent panel
wherein said first attachment means is spaced from an end of said
first laterally adjacent portion of said panel to permit a first
laterally adjacent portion of a longitudinally adjacent panel to
longitudinally overlap said panel and to engage said top surface of
said first laterally adjacent panel in a region of overlap.
10. An architectural tile according to claim 9 wherein said first
attachment means comprises an elongate element which is hook-shaped
in transverse cross section.
11. An architectural tile according to claim 10 wherein said first
attachment means comprises at least one inwardly directed
projection.
12. An architectural tile according to claim 11 wherein said at
least one inwardly directed projection comprises two
projections.
13. An architectural tile according to claim 10 wherein said second
laterally adjacent portion comprises second attachment means for
engaging a first attachment means of a laterally adjacent
panel.
14. An architectural tile according to claim 13 wherein said second
attachment means comprises projections for engaging said at least
one inwardly directed projection of said first attachment
means.
15. An architectural tile according to claim 9 wherein said second
laterally adjacent portion comprises support means for extending
between said bottom surface of said second laterally adjacent
portion and said base to which said panel is attached.
16. An architectural tile according to claim 15 wherein said
support means is secured to said bottom surface of said second
laterally adjacent portion by guides, the longitudinal termination
of said support means is spaced from the longitudinal termination
of said guides, and a portion of said guides engages the top
surface of a second laterally adjacent portion of said
longitudinally adjacent tile in said region of overlap.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the field of architectural tiles. In
particular, the invention relates to tiles formed of plastic and
configured to permit overlap of the tiles to create the appearance
of clay tiles or other materials such as cedar-shake shingles.
BACKGROUND ART
Clay tiles are well known, and an example of such is shown in U.S.
Pat. No. 478,171 (Rapp). It is also known to simulate clay tiles
with metal panels, an example of such being shown in U.S. Pat. No.
626,006 (Heidt).
Panels designed to be attached to each other and used primarily as
walls are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,191,724 (Ridder), 3,289,375
(Cline), and 3,992,839 (LaBorde).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, an extruded plastic panel
comprises a first longitudinally extending part for being secured
to a surface of a structure, such as a roof or a wall. A second
part of the panel extends laterally from the first part and is
shaped to engage the first part of a laterally adjacent panel. The
two parts are shaped to provide a desired appearance, for example,
that of a clay tile. The first part of the panel preferably
includes a flat surface and has an upward extending locking ridge
for engaging attachment elements on the second part of a laterally
adjacent panel. The locking ridge terminates below the upper end of
the first part to permit a longitudinally adjacent panel to overlap
it in the longitudinal direction. The locking ridge also forms a
channel to direct water along the length of the panel.
The attachment elements of the second part of the panel terminate a
distance spaced from the lower end of the panel. This allows the
attachment elements to engage the locking ridge of a laterally
adjacent panel while also permitting overlap of the second part of
a longitudinally adjacent panel.
Each of the locking ridge and the attachment element preferably
include two projections, or barbs, to ensure engagement between the
attachment element an the locking ridge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a panel in accordance with the
invention.
FIG. 2 an end view of the panel shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a top view of two laterally adjacent panels.
FIG. 4 is a cross section along line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a top view of a first set of two laterally adjacent
panels overlapping a second set of laterally adjacent panels in the
longitudinal direction.
FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a cross section taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With reference to FIG. 1, an architectural tile in accordance with
the invention comprises a panel 2 having a first part 4 and a
laterally adjacent second part 6. The first part is preferably flat
for engaging the surface of a roof or wall and may include one or
more holes, such as that shown at 8, for receiving a nail (not
shown) for securing the panel to the roof or wall. The side edge 5
of the first part is raised slightly to provide strength and to
form a channel to direct any condensation along the channel. The
edge is flat in the region of overlap, however.
The first and second parts are configured to give a desired
appearance. For example, in the preferred embodiment, the panel is
configured to give the appearance of a clay tile. It may however,
be configured to give the appearance of other types of shingles,
such as cedar shake shingles, or entirely new designs.
The second part includes a lip 10 which engages one or more other
panels as will be described below to hold the panel 2 to those
other panels. The first part 4 includes a locking ridge 12 which
extends upward from the first part for engaging a lip 10 from
adjacent panels. Locking ridge 12 includes two projections 14 and
16 for engaging the lip 10 of the other panels and a third
projection 18 for engaging the bottom of the second part of the
other panels. The lip 10 has projections 20 and 22 which engage
projections 14 and 16 of an overlying panel.
A V-shaped support 24 is held to the bottom of the second part by
engagement with guides 26. The support extends between the wall or
roof and supports the center of the second part of the panel. The
support may also be secured to the wall or roof by nailing,
cementing, or the like. The support 24 is removably received in the
guides 26 and may be dispensed with in those instances where the
additional strength provided by the support is not required.
Ribs 28 protrude from the bottom of the second part to space it
from the upper surface of an overlapped panel to create a shadow
line. The length of the support 24 is less than the length of a
panel to permit longitudinal overlap of the panels, while the
guides may extend the entire length of the panel to space the
overlapped panel from the overlapping panel in the same manner as
the ribs to create the shadow line. The distance by which the ribs
28 protrude from the bottom surface of a panel is substantially
equal to that by which the guides protrude so that the depth of the
shadow is constant.
FIG. 3 is a top view of laterally adjacent panels 2 and 3, and FIG.
4 is a transverse cross section illustrating how these panels are
connected together. Corresponding parts of the panels 2 and 3 have
been given the same reference numbers. FIG. 4 shows how the lip 10
extends over the locking ridge 12 such that projections 20 and 22
engage projections 14 and 16. By using two sets of projections on
both the locking ridge and the lip, engagement is assured even if
the two parts are not in the complete engagement shown in FIG. 4.
It will be appreciated that the parts will still be held together
if projection 20 engages either of the projections 14 or 16.
FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate an overlapping engagement between two
sets of laterally engaged panels 2, 3, 34, and 35. The upper end 30
of the locking ridge 12 is spaced from the upper edge 32 of the
panel so that the lower edge of an overlapping panel 34 overlaps
the first part 4 of the panel 2 in the space between the upper end
30 of the locking ridge and the upper edge 32 of the panel 2.
The overlapping panel 34 is displaced slightly laterally in the
region of overlap as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7. The panels are
preferably made of a somewhat flexible plastic, however, and the
panels become aligned again in the region which is removed from the
overlap, as shown by FIG. 6.
FIG. 7 illustrates how the lip 10 of overlapping panel 34 engages
the lip 10 of the overlapped panel 4. Preferably, the projections
20 and 22 are not provided in the overlapping region of the second
part, and the lower end of these projections is spaced from the
lower end of the overlapping panel 34 by at least the distance of
the overlap.
The panels are preferably extruded from plastic, but can be made of
a variety of materials, as will be recognized by those of skill in
the art. Other modifications within the scope of the appended
claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art.
* * * * *